Current Affairs Today

We are here for you to provide the important Recent and Latest Current Affairs April 24 2026, which have unique updates of Latest Current Affairs 2026 events from all newspapers such as The Hindu, The Economic Times, PIB, Times of India, PTI, Indian Express, Business Standard and all Government official websites.

Our Current Affairs April 2026 events will help you to get more marks in Banking, Insurance, SSC, Railways, UPSC, CLAT and all State Government Exams. Also, try our Latest Current Affairs Quiz and Monthly Current Affairs 2026 PDF which will be a pedestrian to crack your exams.

Dear Aspirants,
With effect from 26 January 2026, the Exam Hint and In-Depth Content of articles (news) will be available exclusively in our Daily PDF (DailyScoop PDF).
To access the DailyScoop PDF, please subscribe to the Crack Current Course on the CareersCloud app or website.

Read Current Affairs in CareersCloud APP, Course Name – Learn Current Affairs – Free Course –Click Here to Download the APP

We are Hiring – Subject Matter Expert – English | CA Video Creator | Content Developers(Pondicherry)

Click here for Current Affairs April 23 2026

Click here for Affairscloud Hindu Free Vocabs telegram channel+

NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Overview of South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s Visit to India from 19-21 April 2026 
Lee Jae Myung, the President of the Republic of Korea (ROK) paid a state visit to India from 19th to 21st April 2026 at the invitation of Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, marking the first state visit to India by a South Korean President in eight years.

• He was accompanied by First Lady Kim Hea Kyung and a high-level delegation including ministers, senior officials, and business leaders.
• President Lee arrived at the airport in New Delhi, Delhi, where he was received  by Union Minister of State (MoS) Harsh Malhotra.

 Key Highlights of Lee’s Visit:
Bilateral Summit: On 20 April 2026, PM Modi and President Lee held a bilateral meeting at Hyderabad House, New Delhi.

• During the meeting, discussions were focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation across a wide spectrum of areas like: financial services, shipbuilding, artificial intelligence (AI), energy, semiconductors, and defence, cultural and people-to-people ties, green energy and trade, including the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).

India-ROK Special Strategic Partnership (SSP): Both countries announced the following Joint Strategic Vision for implementing and adding further content to the India-ROK Special Strategic Partnership in the next five years (2026-2030).
Other Key Outcomes: Some of the key outcomes  are: establishment of an Industrial Cooperation Committee (ICC); framework for the India–Korea Digital Bridge focusing on Artificial Intelligence (AI), semiconductors, and Information Technology (IT); resumption of negotiations to upgrade the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA);  cultural exchange Programme for 2026–2030 and cooperation in sports and creative industries, among others.

MCA Expands Eligibility for PMIS to Include Final-Year Graduate & Postgraduate Students
In April 2026, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA), in consultation with the Department of Higher Education (DoHE), Ministry of Education (MoE), expanded the eligibility criteria for the pilot phase of the Prime Minister Internship Scheme (PMIS) to include final-year undergraduate and postgraduate students.
Key Highlights of the PMIS Revision:
Eligibility: The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) expanded eligibility to include final-year undergraduate and postgraduate students aged 18–25, revising the earlier 21–24 age bracket while retaining existing conditions.
Approval: Applicants must submit a No Objection Certificate (NOC) issued by authorized officials such as the Head of Department, Dean, Principal, or Training & Placement Officer, confirming the internship will not affect academic requirements.
Benefits: The Government of India (GoI) increased the monthly stipend to Rs. 9,000 (with 90% funding) and provides Rs. 6,000 financial assistance in two installments for the one-year internship duration.

Union Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia Releases Revised  TDIP Scheme Guidelines
In April 2026, the Union Minister Jyotiraditya Madhavrao (M.) Scindia, Ministry of Communications and Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER), released the revised guidelines for the Technology Development and Investment Promotion (TDIP) Scheme of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) at New Delhi, Delhi.

• The initiative, with a Rs.203 crore outlay for 2026–31, is designed to reinforce India’s participation in global telecom standards and speed up innovation in Fifth Generation (5G) Advanced and 6G.

About TDIP Scheme:
Standards: It provides financial support for participation and leadership in global bodies such as International Telecommunication Union (ITU), 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), and one (Machine-to-Machine) M2M, including technical contributions and collaborations.
to real-world deployment.
Agencies: Implementation is carried out through Telecommunications Standards Development Society, India (TSDSI), Telecom Centres of Excellence (TCoE), and Telecommunications Consultants India Limited (TCIL).

MoEF&CC declares Shekha Jheel Bird Sanctuary in UP as Ramsar Site
In April 2026, Union Minister Bhupender Yadav, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) announced the designation of Shekha Jheel Bird Sanctuary in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh (UP) as a Ramsar site.
Key Highlights
Total Wetlands: With this new addition, the total number of ramsar sites in India has increased to 99, while the number of ramsar sites in UP has risen to 12.
Shekha Jheel: The sanctuary located in western UP is a key winter resting site for migratory birds along the Central Asian Flyway, hosting species like bar-headed geese, painted storks, and ducks.

• The lake provides a mix of wetland, grassland, and forest habitats, making it ideal for wildlife conservation.

States: As of February 2026, TamilNadu (TN) has the highest number of Ramsar Sites in India, with 20 designated wetlands. Uttar Pradesh (UP) has the 2nd highest number of ramsar sites with 12 sites.

Eveready commissions India’s first alkaline battery unit in Jammu
In April 2026, Eveready Industries India Ltd. (EIIL), the country’s dry-cell market leader, inaugurated India’s only operating alkaline battery manufacturing facility in the Samba district of Jammu, Union Territory(UT) of Jammu and Kashmir(J&K).

• It aims to increase its market share in the country’s alkaline battery segment to around 25% in value in the next three years from 16% by both domestic and export opportunities.
• The state-of-the-art greenfield unit was officially opened by the Manoj Sinha, Lieutenant Governor of J&K, in the presence of Mohit Burman (Promoter & Non-Executive Director),(EIIL) and Anirban Banerjee (CEO),(EIIL).

Strategic Significance:
For decades, India has relied heavily on imported alkaline batteries or local zinc-carbon ones.

• Focus on Premiumization With the demand for high-drain electronic devices surging, the plant will primarily produce the Ultima Alkaline range to cater to the premium segment.
• High-Drain Performance: Alkaline batteries offer much higher energy density than zinc-carbon, making them essential for modern “high-drain” devices like smart locks, digital cameras, and high-tech toys.
• Import Substitution: By making these “end-to-end” in Jammu, Eveready reduces India’s dependence on imports (mostly from Southeast Asia and China), leading to better margins and supply chain resilience.

Union Minister C. R. Patil Launches 9th IIWW in New Delhi, Delhi
In April 2026, Union Minister C. R. Patil, Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS) launched the 9th edition of India International Water Week (IIWW-2026), India’s flagship global water event, at Shram Shakti Bhavan, New Delhi.

• IIWW-2026 is expected to bring together experts, planners, innovators, and stakeholders from across the globe to share knowledge, experiences, and best practices in water management.

Key Details:
Key Launches: During the event, Union Minister Patil  released the official brochure and made the IIWW-2026 website portal live. 
Key Progress: While addressing the event, he highlighted that more than 60 lakh artificial recharge and water conservation structures have already been created under the initiative.

• Further, the Government of India (GoI) has set the target to achieve  one crore structures by May 2026.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

INS Nireekshak participates in ‘IN-SLN DIVEX 2026’ in Colombo
In April 2026, Indian Naval Ship (INS) Nireekshak, Diving Support and Submarine Rescue Vessel of Indian Navy (IN), arrived in Colombo, Sri Lanka, to participate  in the 4th edition of the India-Sri Lanka Diving Exercise (IN-SLN DIVEX 2026) which commenced on April 21, 2026 and will run till April 27, 2026.

• The joint maritime exercise reaffirmed the shared commitment that aimed to foster stability, cooperation and collective growth in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), aligns with the vision of Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions (MAHASAGAR).

About 4th IN-SLN DIVEX 2026:
Aim:  The exercise aimed to improve interoperability, bolster coordination, and facilitate the exchange of best practices between navies of India and Sri Lanka.
Operational Engagements: The week-long bilateral exercise will witness the participation of diving teams from navies of both countries to undertake specialized diving operations and training drills.

BANKING & FINANCE

PNB Partners with Kiwi to Launch RuPay Credit Card on UPI Platform
In April 2026, Punjab National Bank (PNB), Public Sector Bank (PSB) in India, entered a strategic partnership with the fintech firm Kiwi to launch a co-branded RuPay credit card “PNB Kiwi Credit Card” integrated with the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), aiming to expand digital credit access and strengthen India’s digital payments ecosystem
About the Partnership Between PNB and Kiwi:
Objective: The initiative aims to expand formal credit access by integrating credit cards with UPI, promote financial inclusion in semi-urban and rural areas, strengthen the credit-on-UPI ecosystem, and target around 180 million customers through fully digital onboarding.
Integration: The card enables credit-based payments via UPI Quick Response (QR) codes, allowing seamless “scan-and-pay” transactions across millions of merchants without requiring a physical card.
Benefits: Customers receive cashback ranging from 0.5% to 1.5% on online transactions along with zero joining and annual fees.
Onboarding: It offers a completely digital, paperless onboarding process for quick and accessible credit card issuance.

Pay Point India becomes first fintech to join RBI’s Centralised Payment System 
In April 2026, Pay Point India Network, leading fintech company in India, became the 1st private-sector  fintech company to secure membership in the Centralised Payment System (CPS) operated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

• This marks a major shift by permitting a non-bank fintech firm direct entry into the country’s core infrastructure.

Key Details:
Background: Until now, the access to CPS was limited to banks and a small group of large institutions such as: National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), Clearing Corporation of India Limited (CCIL), among others.
Reduces Reliance on Banks: Following this membership, Pay Point now has direct access to major payment systems like: Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) and National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT),  thereby removing the need of partner banks.
Assigned IFSC Code: In addition, the fintech firm has been assigned is own IFSC code, which enables the company to maintain both a current account and a settlement account directly with the RBI.
Key Benefits: Some the other key benefits of direct access to CPS are: reducing transaction costs, enhancing efficiency, improving data security, minimizing delays in fund transfers, among others

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

HDFC Life Board  Reappoints Vibha Padalkar as MD & CEO for 5 years 
In April 2026, the Board of Directors of HDFC Life Insurance Company Limited, has approved the reappointment of Vibha Padalkar as Managing (MD) and Chief Executive Officer(CEO), for further five years, effective September 12, 2026.
About Vibha Padalkar:
Profile: She is an experienced professional in the insurance sector with strong expertise in finance, risk management, and strategic planning.
Leadership Highlights: She has joined HDFC Life in 2008 as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and was inducted onto the HDFC Life Board as Executive Director(ED) and CFO in 2012.

• She was elevated to MD & CEO in 2018.

Industry Milestone: She played a pivotal role in the company’s successful public listing in 2017.

• She led the company through the Exide Life Insurance acquisition, which was the first major merger and acquisition transaction in the Indian life insurance sector in 2022.

Memberships: She is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales (ICAEW) since 1992 and also holds membership with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI).
Awards and Recognition: She was recognised as one of the ‘Most Powerful Women in Business’ for five consecutive years (2021–2025).

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

China Selects Two Pakistani Astronauts for Tiangong Space Station Training
In April 2026, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced that it has selected two Pakistani candidates ‘Muhammad Zeeshan Ali’ and ‘Khurram Daud’ for astronaut training under China’s human spaceflight programme, marking a major milestone in China–Pakistan space cooperation.

• This also represents China’s first inclusion of foreign astronauts, with one expected to become the first Pakistani to reach Earth’s orbit and visit the Tiangong space station.

About Pakistan–China Space Mission:
Selection: Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud were chosen as reserve astronauts after multiple rounds and will undergo advanced training in China, with one to be selected as a payload specialist for a future Tiangong mission to conduct scientific experiments, technology demonstrations, and research.
Agreement: The collaboration strengthens China’s space diplomacy and global outreach while enabling Pakistan’s entry into human spaceflight and boosting its scientific and technological capabilities.
Background: The selection follows a February 2025 agreement between China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) and Pakistan’s Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) covering astronaut training, experiments, and mission collaboration.

Pakistan Successfully Test-Fires Indigenous Taimoor Anti-Ship Cruise Missile
In April 2026, the Pakistan Navy successfully conducted a live test-firing of an indigenously developed Taimoor air-launched anti-ship cruise missile (ALCM), marking a significant enhancement in its maritime strike capability, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

• Deployed from Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Air Force (PAF), the system enables coordinated air–sea and multi-domain operations, with the test showcasing its ability to precisely detect, track, and neutralise sea-based threats at extended ranges.

About Taimoor Missile System:
Overview: The Taimoor is an indigenously developed ALCM of Pakistan with anti-ship and secondary land-attack capability, offering precision strikes up to approximately 600 kilometer (km) with stand-off engagement advantage.
Test: The Pakistan Navy demonstrated exceptional precision, validating its detection, targeting, and neutralisation capabilities.
Significance: The system enhances naval strike strength, maritime security, and deterrence, while advancing defence modernisation and battlefield flexibility.

OBITUARY

Former Andhra Pradesh CM Nadendla Bhaskara Rao Passed Away
On 22 April 2026, former Chief Minister (CM)of undivided Andhra Pradesh (AP) Nadendla Bhaskara Rao, passed away at the age of 90 years in Hyderabad, Telangana. He was born on 23 June 1935 in Guntur, Madras Presidency, British India (now in AP).

• He served as CM from 16 August to 16 September 1984 (31 days), one of the shortest tenures in the state, assuming office during N. T. Rama Rao’s absence.

About Nadendla Bhaskara Rao:
Early Career: Elected as Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Vijayawada East, AP, in 1978 and served as minister (1978–1989) under Marri Chenna Reddy and T. Anjaiah.
TDP Formation: Co-founded Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in 1982 with N. T. Rama Rao, and became Finance Minister after its 1983 electoral victory.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Book and Copyright Day 2026 – April 23
World Book and Copyright Day is observed annually across the world on 23 April to highlight the importance of books, authors, and copyright in promoting knowledge, culture, and education globally.
Background:
Establishment: World Book and Copyright Day was officially established by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) during its General Conference in Paris in 1995.
Date Choice: April 23 was chosen as it marks the death anniversaries of renowned literary figures such as William Shakespeare (England), Miguel de Cervantes (Spain), and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega (Peru).
First Event: The first official celebration of World Book and Copyright Day was held on 23 April 1996 in Barcelona, Spain.
2026 World Book Capital: Rabat has been designated as the 2026 World Book Capital, by the WBC Advisory Committee, focusing on expanding access to books, strengthening publishing, and promoting literacy, and is the 26th city to receive the title.

UN English Language Day 2026 – April 23
The United Nations (UN) annually observes English Language Day every year on April 23 across the globe to celebrate the English language and highlight its role as a vital bridge for international communication and global understanding.
Background:
Establishment: In 2010, the United Nations Department of Public Information(DPI) introduced dedicated days for each of the UN’s six official languages, Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish, to promote linguistic diversity and equal usage.
First Observance: The inaugural UN English Language Day was celebrated on April 23, 2010.
Significance of the Date: April 23 was selected to honour William Shakespeare, marking both his birth and death anniversary (1564–1616).

STATE NEWS

Justice Lisa Gill Appointed Chief Justice of Andhra Pradesh High Court
In April 2026, Justice Lisa Gill was appointed as the Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh(AP) High Court, effective April 25, 2026, following the retirement of Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur. She becomes the first woman Chief Justice of the AP High Court after her recent transfer from Punjab & Haryana High Court.
Appointment Process:
The Supreme Court Collegium recommended Justice Gill’s appointment on February 27, 2026, following the government’s consultation process. President of India Droupadi Murmu notified her appointment in exercise of powers under Article 217(1) of the Constitution. This follows her transfer from Punjab & Haryana High Court notified on March 5, 2026.
Career Background of Lisa Gill:
Enrolled as advocate: 1990 at Punjab & Haryana High Court
Elevated as Judge: March 2014 (Punjab & Haryana HC)
Education: LL.B., LL.M. from Panjab University, Chandigarh
Notable: 12+ years judicial experience at elevation to Chief Justice

Judicial Significance: Justice Gill’s appointment marks a milestone as the first woman CJ of AP High Court since its separate formation in 2019. It reflects SC Collegium’s advance-transfer policy for smoother HC leadership transitions. She assumed charge as AP HC Judge on March 13, 2026, ahead of her elevation.

Meghalaya launches CM-INSPIRE scheme for the UPSC Qualifiers
In April 2026, Meghalaya Chief Minister(CM) Conrad K. Sangma , launched the CM-INSPIRE (Chief Minister’s Incentive for Success in Prelims and Innovative Rewards for Excellence) Scheme for Union Public Service Commission(UPSC) Aspirants to reduce preparation costs and improve the state’s representation in the civil services.

• This initiative aims to reduce the financial burden on aspiring candidates, ensuring deserving candidates receive equal opportunities instead of economic constraints.

About CM-INSPIRE:
Financial Support: Rs, 50,000 for clearing the Preliminary Examination and Rs. 1 lakh for clearing the Mains and qualifying for the Interview/Personality Test stage.

• The scheme is designed to offset high-cost components of preparation, such as coaching fees, study material expenses, accommodation, and travel to larger cities, as major hurdles for aspirants from the state.
• Proposal to expand the scheme with free access to premium online test series and physical libraries in Tura and Shillong

Beneficiaries: Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to the bank accounts of permanent residents and tribal candidates of Meghalaya and apply for financial assistance through the MATI (Meghalaya Administrative Training Institute) portal.

• Verification: Based on the official Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) result notification and state domicile proof

*******

Current Affairs Today (AffairsCloud Today)